I have thought a lot about this and my end result is that I am sick of disrespect.  I am tired of the liberals declaring ad hominem attacks fair game and opening fire on the conservatives in personal attacks that have nothing to do with ideas or ideology.

I am fed up with the name calling and accusations and all the rhetoric that follows it.  It is no real surprise, that type of intolerant immature behavior was part of what drove me out of the comment blocks and into blogging.

What is is about a debate of ideas that makes it so easy to cross the line of civility, and leap from debating ideas to name calling and other issues totally irrelevant to the debate?  I don't get the point. 

I think we can do better, and if we did we might actually find understanding an enlightenment, instead of talking past each other in a blaze of anger. 

Remember this? 

Ideology is not a necessary requirement, respect is. While most of the bloggers so far are conservative or conservative leaning, other opinions are welcome. I would only as that opinions be respected no matter how foolish they may seem to each of us. And while discussion is good, and iron sharpens iron, I hope we can maintain some manner of professionalism.

That was my opening introduction to the concept of Northwest Bloggers.  I laid it out immediately that I felt some manner of civility was required.

I have applied that standard very liberally, but I am beginning to wonder if that is really the best policy.  The discord here is unsettlng.

I am at this point calling on all participants to consider that statement and treat it as rule number one.  I won't intervene and delete people or edit posts, that is not my way.

I am simply calling on everyone here to abide by the standard you accepted by implication. We are adults, we should have some measure of self control.

Dial it back and let's get busy on ideas not insults.

If however, your love of insults is more important the your ideas, or if you find my puritanical insistence on politeness to be a problem, well then the door is that way –>.